Theory of Change & Logic Models Flashcards
7 cards from real CNC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Theory of Change & Logic Models flashcards as text
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Logic Model Development Guide suggests logic models should be created:
Answer: As a participatory process involving staff, stakeholders, and participants
The Kellogg Guide emphasizes participatory development of logic models so that diverse perspectives strengthen the model's accuracy and organizational ownership.
A nonprofit claims its after-school tutoring program will 'transform public education.' A consultant would flag this as problematic because:
Answer: The impact statement is too broad relative to the program's actual scope and resources
Impact statements must be proportionate to the program's scale and resources; claiming system-level transformation from a single small program overstates causal reach.
In the United Way's outcomes measurement framework, 'ultimate outcomes' are equivalent to which logic model component?
Answer: Long-term impact
United Way's 'ultimate outcomes' correspond to the long-term, sustained changes in conditions or status that represent the program's deepest aspirational goals.
A logic model is MOST useful during which phase of program management?
Answer: Throughout the program lifecycle — planning, implementation, and evaluation
Logic models are living tools that guide program design, communicate expectations to stakeholders, and frame evaluation questions throughout a program's life.
Which of the following best illustrates the concept of 'attribution' as a challenge in a theory of change?
Answer: The problem of proving your program — rather than other factors — caused the observed outcome
Attribution challenges arise when multiple factors influence outcomes simultaneously, making it difficult to isolate the specific effect of a program.
A 'contribution claim' is preferable to an 'attribution claim' in many nonprofit theories of change because:
Answer: It is more honest to acknowledge the program was one of several factors producing the outcome
Contribution claims acknowledge that social change is complex and that the program played a meaningful but not exclusive role in producing outcomes.
When a nonprofit uses a 'backward mapping' approach to build its theory of change, it starts by:
Answer: Defining the ultimate long-term impact and working backward to identify necessary steps
Backward mapping (or backward design) begins with the desired end-state and works backward to determine what conditions, outcomes, and activities must precede it.